


Priorities

by EffieAgo



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Bounty Hunters, Gen, Mando dad, Single Parents, Single dad Mandalorian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-08 01:31:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21467848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EffieAgo/pseuds/EffieAgo
Summary: Like many new parents, the Mandalorian struggles to balance parenting with his jobGreef Karga doesn't know what to do about any of this
Relationships: The Mandalorian & Greef Karga, The Mandalorian & The Asset
Comments: 42
Kudos: 919





	Priorities

**Author's Note:**

> Definitely spoilers for the first two episodes. I'm also using the name that Pedro Pascal mentioned in an interview and guessing at the spelling.

At his usual table in the cantina that served as his office and headquarters, Greef Karga waved away a guild member who’d begun to ask him a question. No, he had to deal with his Mandalorian problem first. Sure enough, the helmet-wearing bounty hunter walked in a few minutes later with the now-familiar baby carrier following close behind. When he sat down opposite the guild leader, the Mandalorian sat his rifle on his lap and tossed a no longer active tracking fob on the table. It shouldn’t have been a difficult bounty. He’d been sent after some drunken Rodian who’d run off with a bag of his former employers’ credits. 

“So,” Karga began, but he looked up, the Mando had turned away from him and was facing the creature’s carrier, peering at it. The child was upright and leaning over the edge, apparently having dropped something over the side. Its eyes were wide and expressive and Karga was sure he’d never seen anything quite like the mysterious being. The Mandalorian bent down and picked up what appeared to be a soft toy shaped like a vulptex. The big-eared youngling took it eagerly and made a series of happy sounds. Karga cleared his throat and tried again. “So. All of them?”

“Yes.” 

The Mandalorian might be a pain in the butt, but at least he never tried to obfuscate. Karga waited to see if there would be a more detailed explanation, but he wasn't surprised when none came. He sighed. “I shouldn’t need to be telling you this at this stage of your career, but catching the target is only the first part of the job,” Karga said, pointing to the tracking fob. “The second part is actually delivering them either here or to the folks paying the bounty.”

“I did that.”

“Yeah, you did that, and then you killed the clients and all their guards! Luckily, they paid ahead of time, but I’m sure you can appreciate that it’s not great for the Guild’s reputation.”

The helmeted man tilted his head slightly. “I can explain.”

“Please do. Look, I know you have a temper. I mean, you all do. But come on, you’re not new. You know the job takes priority. What the hell did they do? Mess with your armor? Insult Mandalore?” 

“They wanted to take the kid.” 

Karga rested his head in one hand. Of course _that_ would be the reason. It had only been a month and a half since the Mando’s disaster of a job for their shadowy unnamed client, but despite the man’s statements to the contrary, it was becoming clear that the bounty hunter was planning on keeping the child around. “We’re talking about a gang. It’s not exactly surprising that they engage in trafficking. You could have just said no.”

“I did. I just don’t think most of them had the ability to hear me by that point.” 

"Mando-”

“I got carried away. It won't happen again.” 

Karga sighed. He knew by now that arguing with this particular Mandalorian was pointless, and the man was his most effective bounty hunter. He couldn’t afford any kind of rift that might jeopardize their working relationship. “See that it doesn’t.” The other man began to get up. “Wait,” he added, with a raised hand. “I can’t believe this is something I’m about to say out loud, but you can’t let caring for a baby get in the way of your job.”

“I’m aware.” As they spoke, the child climbed out of its bassinet and Karga watched as Djarin grabbed it and placed it on the table. The creature smiled and then repeatedly slammed its toy down on the tabletop. The bounty hunter made a muffled sound that Karga thought might be laughter. 

“Well, have you thought about not bringing it on your jobs? That would probably be safest.” For everyone, he didn’t say aloud. 

“I can’t leave them on the ship.” 

He has a point, Karga thought, considering how quickly the child had managed to get out of its carrier. Still, it was so young. “Surely there must be some way to keep it safely contained?”

The other man was silent for a long moment. “No, there really isn’t.” 

That didn’t sound quite right to Karga, but what did he know about… whatever kind of thing this child was? Pretty much nothing.

The bounty hunter reached out and took the toy from the baby who was offering it with one outstretched hand. He then kept it just out of the child's reach which caused it to giggle madly as it tried to reclaim the vulptex. 

“What about a droid? You could probably pick up a cheap one at the market here if you’re willing to do some minor repairs.”

The Mandalorian tightened his grip on the toy. “No.”

“Hey, I’m not talking about a battle droid! Just a nice, normal nanny droi-”

“No. Droids.”

_Pointless_, the guild leader reminded himself. “Fine, but you have got to find a solution.”

“I will,” the Mando said. Then he stood up, attached his rifle to his back and returned the child and its toy to the bassinet. The creature was making contented-sounding noises and clung to its caregiver's arms as it was carried.

“Does it speak?” Karga asked, suddenly curious.

Djarin paused. “Not yet.”

“You’ll need to start teaching it then.”

“I don't-”

Karga frowned. “And by that, I mean Galactic Basic.”

“Well, obviously.” 

He could tell the man wore an irritated expression behind his helmet. It was funny how he’d learnt to pick up on things like that after working with him for the last few years. “Because it’s fine to be attached to your culture, and you can do whatever you want when it’s just you, but if you’re really going to keep this kid with you, you’ve got to teach it how to survive in this galaxy and not just how to talk in Mando’a and to recite that _Resol'nare_ garbage.”

“It is not gar-” The bounty hunter began, and then stopped. “I’m leaving now.”

The guild leader pulled an active tracking fob from his coat pocket. Its red light blinked rhythmically. “Sure, but you might want this. Bail jumper, 4000 credits. And don’t even think of complaining about the bounty. You owe me after today's little incident.”

The Mando nodded and took the fob. 

“Djarin, wait. You’re good at your job, and I’m glad to have you, but promise me you won’t murder any more of our already shrinking client pool just because they happen to look the wrong way at that child.” 

The bounty hunter turned away from him. “See you later, Karga.” Then he walked to the exit, the baby hovering along beside him. 

**Author's Note:**

> The Resol'nare (or Six Actions) are the six tenets that Mandalorians are expected to adhere to (Wearing the traditional armor, speaking the language (Mando'a), self defense and defense of family, raising your children as Mandalorians, contributing to the clan's welfare, and when called upon by the Mandalorian leader, rallying to their cause). This is from Legends, I'm not sure if it is or will be a part of current canon.


End file.
